Naruto: Power in Play

[You have slept in your bed! HP and CP fully restored!]

A short and sharp noise, reminiscent of a small bell, rang out, waking Ando. He wasn't sure whether the sound or the words came first, but both were a small blessing, a reminder of the world he had left behind.

A world he would never visit again.

Ando sighed as he pushed his bedsheet aside, a slight shiver running through his body as the cold morning air touched his skin. The sun had yet to rise fully, but there was enough light to distinguish his immediate surroundings. He kicked his feet off the bed and began stretching his body, preparing his muscles for his morning routine of push-ups, sit-ups, planks, and squats. For a week now, this had been his daily regimen.

At first, he had been too lazy to move out of bed, especially when he always woke up earlier than the other kids. He thought he could get some more sleep, like he used to do in his previous life. But that was the problem. He couldn’t sleep. His mind would wander back to those memories, and the more he thought, the more unstable his feelings became.

In the end, he had to find something to occupy his mind.

“Twenty-one, twenty-two, ... twenty-three, twenty-four…”

Ando gritted his teeth and forced himself to do one last push-up, rounding up the count to twenty-five. His chest heaved up and down as sweat pooled on his body, making his damp shirt feel stuffy and uncomfortable.

Twenty-five was almost double the number of push-ups he could do on his first day. The same was true for all his other exercises. Be it sit-ups, planks, or squats, he could now do almost twice as much as before. And that was within one week of work.

These changes were reflected in his stats. He now had 6 vitality, 6 stamina, and 6 agility points. Contrary to his initial belief, he didn’t need to double his stats to see improvement. Just a small, but noticeable, enhancement was enough. He attributed this progress to his increased stats and to one particularly broken perk: Gamer’s Body.

Gamer’s Body allowed him to live like a video game character, restoring him to peak condition with just a night's rest. This meant any damage done to his body, including torn muscles from daily training, would be fully healed by the next day. And combined with the peculiar resilience of the natives' bodies, the results were nothing short of amazing. This served as his motivation to train diligently every day.

After calming down, Ando moved back to his bed and sat cross-legged. After strenuous activity, he found it easier to meditate. Meditation was another skill he gained three days after trying in vain to unlock his chakra each evening. It helped calm his mind, and by focusing his meditation on unlocking his chakra, it stopped his thoughts from wandering.

Eventually, the first rays of the sun penetrated the curtains, signaling the end of his exercise.

[Meditation: Level 2 (71%)]

Ando uncrossed his legs and got up. He tidied up his bed and changed into his everyday clothes: a loose white shirt and black pants. He then headed directly to the shower. He didn’t like showering with the others, so he always made sure to be the first one there.

These past few days, he had been acting out of character. His routine was drastically different from the previous Ando’s. He wasn’t naïve enough to think it would go unnoticed. He lived in a world of ninjas, a world of violence and deceit. People here would die if they weren’t observant or careful enough. Ando had no doubt that the matrons had already arranged for someone to keep tabs on him.

But the only reason he allowed himself to be so carefree was that he had an excuse.

At the tender age of eight, he was grappling with a weighty decision that would shape his future. In this world, orphans like him were obliged to choose their life path early on: to either embark on the treacherous path of becoming a ninja or to embrace the relative safety of civilian life.

One could conclude that this inner turmoil drove him to immerse himself in books, seeking knowledge to enlighten his mind about the unfamiliar world he was on the brink of entering. His secluded demeanor and newfound passion for learning were all manifestations of his earnest quest to make an informed choice and adapt to the challenges that lay ahead.

“Hey Ando, I’ve noticed that you have been avoiding us lately.”

“Do you have some trouble? Is there something that’s bothering you?”

The questions caught him by surprise. Ando looked up from his plate to find the inquisitive stare of his roommate, Isobe. He glanced around to see all three of his roommates looking at him with curiosity. It seemed they had finally decided to confront him about his strange behavior.

Ando forced a nervous smile and lowered his eyes, “I’ve been thinking lately… You know, about what I want to do later. I’m already eight, you know. Unlike you guys, I will have to make up my mind about where I want to go soon.”

“Ohh yeah! Sometimes I forget that you’re actually older than us,” Isobe said with an enlightened look on his face. “I thought we did something to piss you off or something and you just decided to brood. You even avoid us at the canteen.”

The other two laughed, and Ando found himself laughing awkwardly alongside them. “Yeah, it has nothing to do with you guys. It’s just… I'm kinda freaking out a bit.”

The three shared a look before one of them asked, “That’s weird. I thought you wanted to be a ninja. Did you change your mind?”

“… I want to be a ninja. But I’m kinda hesitant about it—”

“What’s there to hesitate about?! Haven’t you seen how cool the ninjas are?!”

Ando furrowed his brow at being interrupted, but quickly smoothed out his expression. The kids started gushing excitedly about how awesome ninjas were, cruelly unaware of the hell that those people lived on a day-to-day basis. But he knew. And to tell the truth, without the gamer system backing him up, he would have likely chosen to be a civilian in this life. Just like how in his previous life he chose to be a programmer instead of going to the military. His life now mattered more to him than ever before, especially now that he knew how easy it was to lose it.

Still, he couldn’t expose the dangers of the ninja life to the kids. And it pissed him off. One of the most fundamentally wrong things in this world was the fact that they imposed such choices on kids who didn’t know a single thing about life. It was cruel. And what was even more cruel was that there was nothing they could do about it. Not him, and not even the leaders of his village.

They lived in a harsh world. A world where the strong preyed on the weak. And to remain at the top of the food chain, their village had to nurture their strength, their military power. Ando may not have been particularly brilliant, but given enough time and information, he could connect the dots himself. It would have been easy to blame the leaders of the village. But the problem ran far deeper than that.

It was why he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and forced the corners of his lips to rise. Putting some fake enthusiasm in his voice, he participated in the discussion. He listened as the kids talked about their dreams, their hopes, and their genuine excitement for the path they had chosen.

As the lunchtime chatter subsided and the meal came to an end, Ando once again refused Isobe’s offer to join them in a game of tag. He preferred to spend his time in the library, knowing full well that he was alienating himself from the others.

Still, he liked it that way. Though a moment ago, he had ‘participated’ in a lively conversation with them, a sense of detachment gnawed at him from within. The weight of his true age and the burden of knowledge set him apart from the other children. There was no way for him to truly connect with them. And hanging around them would just give the others more opportunity to spot flaws in his act.

He watched as the others headed for the courtyard, while he made his way towards the library.

“You’re here again, Ando,” greeted the caregiver, a warm smile gracing her aged face. She was a woman in her fifties, her hair now whitened with age and her face adorned with deep wrinkles. Her kind, brown eyes held a gentle and playful light within them.

“I’m starting to think that you appreciate these books more than your own friends.”

Ando looked at the woman and felt slightly relaxed. He returned her smile, “I can’t resist the allure of these books,” he replied playfully. “Sometimes it feels like they understand me better than anyone else.”

The caregiver chuckled softly, her laughter filling the space between them. “Ah, the company of books can be quite comforting indeed. But remember, my dear, there is a whole world waiting for you beyond these pages.”

“I know, but… I just feel the need to know more before I step out into that world. To be prepared.”

The caregiver's eyes softened upon hearing his answer. “Curiosity is a wonderful trait, Ando. It's important to seek knowledge and be informed. But don’t let it consume you. Sometimes, embracing the unknown can be just as important as seeking answers. Life has a way of guiding us, even when we don’t have all the answers.”

Ando paused in his steps. It was indeed harder to argue with an adult. His smile returned as he shook his head. “You’re right. But I still want to read books!”

The old caregiver laughed at his response, finding amusement in his stubbornness. “You don’t like to listen to adults, do you? I didn't peg you as the hard-headed type,” she said with a gentle shake of her head. “It’s alright, Ando. I’m not here to stop you. In fact, I appreciate your enthusiasm for reading. You’re the only kid who willingly spends his days here with little old me.”

Ando nodded. Caretaker Itsuki was one of the few people he genuinely enjoyed spending time with. Her understanding and supportive nature were like a breath of fresh air to him, providing comfort and a sense of belonging. In a world where he often felt like an outsider, Itsuki's presence brought a sense of companionship and understanding.